688 
ESSAY ON SPAYING EWES. 
wound is sewed up. The hinder legs are then to be brought to 
full stretch, and the skin held firm by the left hand to prevent 
it from yielding to the scalpel, while with the right hand he is to 
make the incision directly below the ilium ; and by cutting through 
the integuments, fascia transversalis, fibres of the external ob¬ 
lique, tendon of the internal oblique, and transversalis muscles 
of the abdomen, he exposes the peritoneum. Then, with a tena¬ 
culum, he is to lift up the peritoneum, and cut a hole into it large 
enough to admit the fore finger of the right hand ; or, by putting 
the finger against this membrane and giving it a gentle turn 
round, he will succeed in making an opening sufficiently large, 
and with perfect safety to the animal. The finger now being in 
the cavity or sac of the abdomen, he is to put it straight down 
till he feel a doubling of the peritoneum, called the ligament of 
the uterus, which attach the horns of it to the sides of the pelvis; 
which, when felt by the finger, leads infallibly to the glandular- 
like body called the ovaria of the left side, which lies forward on 
the belly of the psoas parvus muscle, situated in the lumbar re¬ 
gion at the end of the fallopian tubes, which are sent from the 
horns of the uterus. 
With the tip of the finger the ovarium is to be brought out of 
the orifice, and held between two fingers till the uterus be turned 
round gradually by the thumbs and fore fingers so far as to get 
hold of the other ovarium. The ovaria being both exposed, cut 
off the one last found, and allow the uterus to fall back to its 
place, and then cut off the first one. Next order the hinder legs 
to be brought forward, and with a needle and a white thread 
stitch the edges of the wound together, leaving a small opening 
% at the lower end of the wound, to allow the matter that may form 
to escape. The wool may then be fastened down over the wound, 
and the ewe let loose. 
The whole operation generally occupies a space of forty or 
forty-five seconds. It will be necessary to confine the ewes from 
the cold or rain, for twenty-four hours after the operation, in order 
to prevent irritation of the part, till it adheres. Even then they 
should be driven gently to pasture, and the greatest caution 
should be observed: the field should be level, and the grass so 
abundant, that their labour in gathering it may be easy. Young 
grasses are preferable to old, being sweeter and of a laxative na¬ 
ture. If a wet stormy night is approaching, they ought to be 
housed, or gently driven to the driest and most sheltered corner 
of the field. They are rendered extremely susceptible of any 
impression by the operation, and therefore great care is neces¬ 
sary. 
With regard to the seasons of the year, the spring and autumn 
